2014 World Cup: Eddie Johnson snubbed, falls short of the 30-man roster

Juergen Klinsmann today announced the United States men's national team 30-man preliminary roster for this summer's World Cup. However, in shocking news, D.C. United forward Eddie Johnson is not on the 30-man preliminary roster at all. Had he made it, he would have been the first United player to make a preliminary World Cup roster since Ben Olsen went to the 2006 World Cup. Johnson had been a mainstay for the United States throughout qualifying, scoring a number of important goals off the bench and providing flexibility at both left midfield and striker. The bubble players who knocked Johnson out of the roster include Terrance Boyd, John Brooks, DeAndre Yedlin, Maurice Edu, Joe Corona, Julian Green, and Brad Davis.

The training camp will begin this Wednesday at Stanford University, and Klinsmann does not have to name his final roster until June 2. Whether Klinsmann will send players home as the camp goes on or hold them all until the end is still unknown. As a part of the camp and as build-up to the World Cup, the United States will play three friendlies: May 27, against Azerbaijan in San Francisco; June 1, against Turkey in Harrison, NJ; and June 7, against Nigeria in Jacksonville.

Throughout the spring, Eddie Johnson's prospects for making the roster seemed to be dimming, due to the fact that he has been ice-cold in MLS play so far this season. In Steve Goff's latest projection of the 30- and 23-man rosters, he had Eddie Johnson on the outside of the 23, for the first time that I can remember; however, due to the fact that Klinsmann has been known to play favorites, the omission of Johnson from the entire preliminary roster is surprising.

The advantage for D.C. United is that they will have Johnson available for the entire MLS season. However, you have to wonder whether or not his omission from the team will affect his league play. What do you think of the announced roster? Any players that you wish were on it or had been left off?